The former Real Housewives star has now spoken about the break-up during an emotional appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

"I can't just only be on reality TV and show everything when it's the fairy princess, fairytale, and then not take my hits when I have to," she said. "I've had the best worst year ever, the highs and the lows.

"Just going through something personal you have so many different emotions, and I feel like a bit of a disappointment to all of you. And I feel like a failure."

When DeGeneres insisted that she wasn't, Frankel became tearful and continued: "I feel like a failure. I really put it out there. I wanted the fairytale. I thought I had it."

Frankel described her 2-year-old daughter Bryn as her "fairytale" and said she had received supportive messages from fans.

"Love is everywhere," she said. "It's the road and you're on it. It has peaks and valleys and that's what it is, but I don't know how people go through this because this is excruciating, I have to say."

The entrepreneur also admitted that although she knows things will improve, she is "scared" about the "unknown future", saying: "You know everything and one day you don't know. So I'm scared. I'm older.

"This is an important time because it's about what I do next. How I handle myself now with grace, with dignity. This is the time now that matters."